<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Friend first, Werewolf second by writtenbykat</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083888">Friend first, Werewolf second</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writtenbykat/pseuds/writtenbykat'>writtenbykat</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Fandom, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marauders - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - Freeform, Marauders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:09:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,952</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28083888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writtenbykat/pseuds/writtenbykat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“But I’m a werewolf,” Remus repeated as if they needed reminding.<br/>“Yeah, and James here is a great prat– but we’re still friends with him.” </p><p>A gift for Allythegreat1<br/>“One where the marauders find out Remus is a werewolf and stay friends with him and help him by becoming animagi.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Friend first, Werewolf second</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allythegreat1/gifts">Allythegreat1</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Remus returned to their dorm room before the sun had fully risen. It had been two days since the last full moon, and he was finally feeling back to himself enough to face his friends and offer hastily constructed answers to their normal barrage of questions. </p><p>As he always did, he spent even more time than usual with his friends in the week leading up to his full moon departure. Every month he was sure would be his last at Hogwarts. Every month he was sure they would figure it out. Every month he was sure would be the last time they looked at him as a friend. For as close as they’d become, there was no way they would be okay with the idea of consorting with a disgusting half-breed– as he’d often been labeled. As magnanimous as Dumbledore had been, allowing him to be at Hogwarts in the first place, the Potters and the Blacks were both well respected pureblood families who had seats on the board of directors. </p><p>Once he was found out there was no way he would be allowed to remain at the school, no way his friends would be able to see past the monster he hid inside, and offer him easy laughs and companionship they’d provided the last two years. So every month without fail Remus transformed into that beast he so hated, and mourned the inevitable loss of their friendship. </p><p>The four of them, himself, Sirius, Peter, and James, had just clicked first year. James and Sirius had immediately taken to each other, and brought an eager-to-please Peter into their ranks as well. Remus had been the last and most reluctant to join in the easy camaraderie they shared. As desperately as he longed for the friendship and easy banter between them, he’d been hesitant to get too close to anyone at Hogwarts.</p><p>He still felt like Hogwarts was too good to be true. Dumbledore was a compassionate and understanding man, and had welcomed Remus to Hogwarts with more than open arms– even setting up the Shrieking Shack for his monthly transformations. But even as he’d sat at the welcome feast with his fellow newly sorted Gryffindors, Remus felt that sooner or later Dumbledore would realize how dangerous it was to have a werewolf in their midst and would kick him out. </p><p>So for the first month, Remus had kept his distance from the other three. He was friendly, of course, but he didn’t participate in their late-night mischief and always turned down James’ persistent attempts to bring Remus into the fold. </p><p>In the days leading up to the full moon, his first full moon at Hogwarts, Remus took to the hospital wing– too fatigued and weak to carry on with classes. Madame Pomfrey fretted about him, and on the night of the full moon even escorted him down to the newly planted Whomping Willow alongside Dumbledore. </p><p>In the morning, she’d been at the Whomping Willow again with Dumbledore to help him back up to the castle. He remained in the hospital wing for the next three days, recovering from self-inflicted injuries he couldn’t remember making.  </p><p>His roommates had questioned his absence, but only nodded sympathetically at his tale of chronic illness Dumbledore had helped to construct. </p><p>That morning in Charms class a first year Slytherin made a snide comment about Remus’ illness in a purposely loud whisper, sniggering with his fellow Slytherins. Remus, who was no stranger to the taunting laughs, tuned it out; but James Potter, full of indignant furry for his new friend, had spun on the spot, stopping with his wand pointed at the offending boy’s neck. </p><p>“Apologize.” </p><p>The one word order emerged at a lethal whisper– shocking alone in coming from an eleven year old boy, but especially so from the normally cheery James Potter. </p><p>At the Slytherin boy’s continued silence, James threw the first punch, (perhaps remembering that he was only eleven and didn’t actually know how to duel) tackling the boy to the ground. Remus tried desperately to pull James off the other boy before anything could get too out of hand, but the other Slytherins had already joined in, as well as Sirius–who would always follow James into a fight– and Peter, although somewhat reluctantly. </p><p>By the time Professor Flitwick had been able to separate the tussling mass of eleven year old boys, and detentions had been issued, the lines of friendship and rivalry had been drawn. </p><p>Remus entered the dorm and waited for his eyes to adjust, not wanting to cast a light at risk of waking his friends. Every month when he returned he feared they had pieced it together, and spent the better part of the morning looking busy and avoiding his friends, in hopes of putting off the inevitable confrontation by a few hours. Those hours of denial in which he clung to their friendship with everything he had– everything the full moon had not taken from him. </p><p>Today was different, he could feel it. As they reached the end of their second year, his excuses became more far fetched and outlandish, and his friends watched him especially closely in the days following his absences. </p><p>As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, Remus knew he’d been right that this time was different. Instead of creeping past his friends’ slumbering bodies to make his way to his own bed, Remus was greeted by three pairs of eyes staring at him intensely, questioningly.  </p><p>“Uhm… late night walk?” he offered lamely, striving for a casualness he didn’t feel. </p><p>Sirius offered a weak smile, looking to James. </p><p>“Remus, mate, have a seat,” James spoke with uncharacteristic solemnity, gesturing to a chair in the middle of the room they seemed to have summoned just for this meeting. </p><p>“So I think this talk has been a long time coming,” James continued, “I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for certain, and I wanted to let you tell us yourself– you know if you wanted to. And we need you to know that you’re our best mate, and nothing– nothing– is going to change that, alright?” </p><p>Remus nodded, knowing how this conversation would play out, but feeling a surge of love for his friends for softening the blow as best they could. </p><p>“So… I mean… Do you want to tell us?” James prompted. </p><p>Remus opened his mouth to speak the damning words, but found himself rendered mute. As much as he’d always told himself this day would come and as much as he’d tried to hold back with these boys who had become his best mates, when faced with the moment now he was terrified. How could he voice the words that would end their friendship forever?</p><p>James ended his suffering for him. “We know mate. We know you’re a werewolf and–”</p><p>“How– how long have you known?” Remus’ voice came out at a whisper. </p><p>“A month or so,” this time Sirius spoke. </p><p>“A month and you didn’t say anything?” </p><p>“We wanted to be sure before we said anything.” </p><p>“And you all knew?” </p><p>“Well they had to clue me in” Peter chimed in, “but from what I gather, they’ve known even longer– him the longest” he pointed at James. </p><p>Remus shifted his gaze back to James’. </p><p>“Since the first full moon this year,” James answered his unspoken question, “I wanted to be sure, and I wanted you to tell us. Why wouldn’t you tell us?” </p><p>Remus nodded in understanding, rising from the chair. He should have told them, he owed them at least that much– shouldn’t have put it on them to confront him about it. </p><p>“I have to owl my parents, but I’ll pack and be gone by tomorrow.” </p><p>At his pronouncement all three shoved to their feet abruptly. </p><p>“Where are you going?” The question was spoken with concerned alarm by James. </p><p>“What, like that you’d leave us?” an underscoring note of scorn from Sirius. </p><p>“But we’re your friends,” the slight begging tone belonging to Peter. </p><p>“I’m leaving. Going home. I understand. And I appreciate you all for making my time here unforgettable,” Remus responded, his tone clipped as he started to gather his things from his dresser drawer and put them into his trunk.  </p><p>James was the first to understand, and let out a disbelieving laugh. </p><p>At James’ incredulity, Sirius caught on, walking over to Remus’ trunk to unpack everything he’d just packed away. </p><p>“You’re an idiot. You know that, right?” </p><p>Remus just stared. </p><p>“You’re not leaving, you absurdly noble prick! Falling on your own sword…” Sirius mumbled the last bit to himself. </p><p>James, who had recovered from his laughing fit, cut in.</p><p> “What you didn’t let me say– and you really didn’t, you just interrupted me mid sentence which is really quite rude– is that we know you’re a werewolf but we don’t care.” </p><p>Remus moved his disbelieving stare to each boy in turn. </p><p>“How can you not care?” </p><p>“There’s not a way, we just don’t,” Peter said. </p><p>“But I’m a werewolf,” Remus repeated as if they needed reminding, his tone dripping with self-loathing. </p><p>“Yeah, and Jamie here is a great prat– but we’re still friends with him,” Sirius said, his tone inviting levity to the situation. </p><p>“It’s not the same and you know it.” </p><p>“Obviously not. It’s not your fault at all that you’re a werewolf. But James could wake up one day and simply decide to be better, and yet he doesn’t– but we keep him around.” Sirius continued with an uncharacteristic somber note to his tone, “So you’re a werewolf. I understand why you felt like you couldn’t tell us. That’s big. But we’re your friends. Nothing is going to change that. Not even the fact that every full moon you turn into a–” </p><p>“Monster,” Remus interrupted.</p><p>“A wolf.” Sirius corrected, giving him a pointed look. </p><p>“And Jamie-” </p><p>“Stop calling me Jamie,” James muttered under his breath. </p><p>“And hey Jamie,” Sirius continued as if James had never spoken, “since our good friend Remus here turns into a wolf every month, wouldn’t it be cool if we could all turn into animals too?” </p><p>Remus looked between James and Sirius, confused.</p><p>“You suck at casual,” James grumbled to Sirius, who only shrugged in response. </p><p>“I did a lot of research this year about werewolves. Mainly they are only a problem for humans. So what if we could be there– and not be human?” </p><p>“You’ve lost me.” </p><p>“As I said, I did a bunch of research this year– with the help of my dad’s cloak and the restricted section of the library. There’s this thing called an Animagus. It’s witches and wizards who can turn into animals– Mcgonagall’s one– and it’s just some transfiguration!” </p><p>“Some very complicated, very dangerous, transfiguration,” Remus amended, “not to mention, illegal for underage witches or wizards to become animagi at all– let alone without registering with the ministry.” </p><p>James just shrugged. </p><p>“No way am I letting you guys do that.” </p><p>“It’s too late,” Sirius told him, “We’ve already decided. It’s happening.” </p><p>“And if you’re caught?” </p><p>Sirius, with all the arrogance and pride of the noble house of Black, lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. </p><p>“We won’t get caught.” </p><p>________________________________________________________________________________</p><p>As it was, the transfiguration and spell work was much more complicated than they had assumed. It wasn’t until fifth year when James was able to crack it, turning into a stag in the middle of their dorm room. Not to be outdone, Sirius turned into a big bear-like black dog a few days later. Eventually, with much help from James and Sirius, Peter was able to transform– taking the form of a rat. </p><p>Thus began the adventures of Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs: magical mischief maker extraordinaires.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>